NameCensus.

UK surname

Bicker

A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "small brook" or "stream."

In the 1881 census there were 254 people recorded with the Bicker surname, ranking it #10,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 440, ranked #10,992, down from #10,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ash-near-Sandwich, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Prestwick East and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bicker is 496 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.2%.

1881 census count

254

Ranked #10,949

Modern count

440

2016, ranked #10,992

Peak year

2000

496 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bicker had 254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 440 in 2016, ranked #10,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 319 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bicker surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bicker surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bicker surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bicker over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 117 #15,456
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 254 #10,949
1891 historical 266 #12,169
1901 historical 307 #11,472
1911 historical 319 #10,967
1997 modern 463 #9,850
1998 modern 481 #9,893
1999 modern 489 #9,830
2000 modern 496 #9,689
2001 modern 474 #9,847
2002 modern 460 #10,248
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 473 #9,905
2005 modern 461 #10,022
2006 modern 467 #9,969
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 465 #10,178
2009 modern 483 #10,114
2010 modern 479 #10,370
2011 modern 475 #10,346
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 447 #10,885
2014 modern 452 #10,857
2015 modern 449 #10,836
2016 modern 440 #10,992

Geography

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Where Bickers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ash-near-Sandwich, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Dundonald and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Prestwick East, South Norfolk, Bute and Elmbridge. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ash-near-Sandwich Kent
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Dundonald Ayr
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 015 Swale
2 Prestwick East South Ayrshire
3 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
4 Bute Argyll and Bute
5 Elmbridge 005 Elmbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bicker

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bicker surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bicker

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bicker, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bicker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bicker household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bicker is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bicker is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bicker falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bicker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bicker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bicker

The surname BICKER is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bicker," which means to quarrel or fight. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone with a quarrelsome or combative nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where a John Bicker is mentioned. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, listing a Robert Bykker.

In the 14th century, the name was associated with various locations in England, such as Bicker in Lincolnshire and Bicker Fen in Norfolk. It is possible that the surname originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near these places.

During the Tudor period, the BICKER surname gained some prominence. William Bicker (c.1495-1547) was a Member of Parliament for Lincoln and served as Mayor of the city in 1532. His son, John Bicker (c.1520-1588), was also a notable figure, serving as Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1565.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various records across England. One notable individual was Thomas Bicker (1605-1670), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He was involved in the English Civil War and supported the Parliamentarian cause.

The BICKER surname also has a notable connection to the American colonies. In the late 17th century, a family of BICKERs emigrated from England to Massachusetts, where they settled in the town of Weymouth. One of their descendants, Joshua Bicker (1787-1868), became a prominent figure in the early days of the textile industry in New England.

Other notable individuals with the BICKER surname include:

1. Richard Bicker (1812-1892), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings. 2. Henry Bicker (1853-1932), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Alhambra Theatre. 3. Gertrude Bicker (1880-1961), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who served as the president of the National Association of Deans of Women. 4. John Bicker (1901-1986), a British soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor awarded for valor in the face of the enemy during World War I. 5. David Bicker (1945-2020), an American businessman and philanthropist, who co-founded the investment firm Bain Capital.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bicker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bicker surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 54 Bickers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.39x.

County Total Index
Kent 54 6.39x
Suffolk 38 12.59x
Ayrshire 29 15.64x
Surrey 23 1.91x
Middlesex 21 0.85x
Durham 17 2.31x
Hampshire 15 2.95x
Norfolk 11 2.89x
Cambridgeshire 10 6.37x
Lancashire 7 0.24x
Dorset 6 3.69x
Essex 6 1.23x
Devon 5 0.97x
Gloucestershire 5 1.03x
Renfrewshire 3 1.56x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Lincolnshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundonald in Ayrshire leads with 17 Bickers recorded in 1881 and an index of 248.54x.

Place Total Index
Dundonald 17 248.54x
Ash Next Sandwich 16 855.62x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 37.58x
Shoreditch London 11 10.24x
St Quivox 11 175.44x
Stradbroke 10 980.39x
Croydon 9 13.43x
Minster In Thanet 9 511.36x
Wingham 8 816.33x
Beddington 7 149.89x
Fareham 7 114.75x
Ipswich St Mathew 7 82.74x
Mint 7 7777.78x
Holdenhurst 6 45.05x
Manchester 6 4.54x
Preston Next Faversham 6 301.51x
West Ham 6 5.56x
Bonnington 5 4545.45x
Plymouth Charles The 5 22.01x
Pulham St Mary Virgin 5 714.29x
Westoe 5 11.96x
Kelsale 4 476.19x
Laxfield 4 533.33x
St Marylebone London 4 3.02x
Wisbech St Peter 4 50.83x
Bassingbourn 3 129.87x
Bristol St James In 3 41.96x
Corfe Mullen 3 508.47x
Leiston 3 144.93x
Litton Cheney 3 769.23x
Paisley High Church 3 19.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 6.02x
Watton 3 250.00x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.86x
Great Yarmouth 2 6.34x
Ipswich St Mary At Tower 2 298.51x
Kingston On Thames 2 6.90x
Nursling 2 246.91x
Southwold 2 111.73x
Armley 1 9.23x
Barfreston 1 1000.00x
Battersea 1 1.10x
Benhall 1 188.68x
Bicker 1 163.93x
Bristol Christchurch 1 140.85x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 6.17x
Bromley London 1 1.83x
Chelsea London 1 1.34x
Debenham 1 100.00x
Ealing 1 4.52x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 14.62x
Gamlingay 1 61.35x
Gislingham 1 212.77x
Lambeth 1 0.46x
Little Glemham 1 434.78x
Little Hulton 1 20.53x
Norwich St George Colegate 1 71.94x
Sandal Magna 1 27.55x
Sandwich St Peter 1 112.36x
Southcoates 1 7.34x
St Andrewthe Great 1 49.26x
St Pancras London 1 0.50x
Stewarton 1 27.25x
Tonbridge 1 3.28x
Wangford 1 175.44x
Weybread 1 172.41x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bicker surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 14
Mary 12
Emma 7
Jane 5
Alice 4
Caroline 4
Elizabeth 4
Ann 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Eleanor 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Marion 3
Martha 3
Dinah 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
(Mrs) 1
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Billender 1
Catherine 1
Cela 1
Eliza 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harrot 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jessealare 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Louese 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
May 1
Rhoda 1
Rosanna 1
Tabor 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bicker surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 17
John 14
James 13
George 9
Henry 8
Thomas 7
Walter 5
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Fredrick 2
Moses 2
Robert 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
David 1
Ebert 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Rowland 1
Susannah 1

FAQ

Bicker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bicker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 254 people were recorded with the Bicker surname. That placed it at #10,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bicker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 440 in 2016. That gives Bicker a modern rank of #10,992.

What does the Bicker surname mean?

A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "small brook" or "stream."

What does the Bicker map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bicker bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.